Red Dragon Of Imperium
by KnightArtorias28
Summary: After living most of his life as nothing but an average human engrossed in perverted acts, Issei Hyoudou decides to do a 180 degree turn in not only personality but also physical conditioning after finding out that he has an innate instrument that has the capability to reign dominance over his foes. Warning. Some characters may be OOC especially Issei Hyoudou himself.
1. Chapter 1: A Pervert's Metamorphosis.

**Disclaimer: I do not own High School DxD, its is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi.**

**Rated M for safety and presence of violence and mature content in the coming chapters.**

**Speech:**

"Talk"

'Thought'

**{Ddraig talk/thought}**

It was late in the afternoon as a teacher right in the middle of her lecture noticed theschool's bell clamor, signaling dismissal.

"That's that. Assigned daily sweepers, please don't forget to clean the classroom before you leave. That is all. Bye everyone."

"Bye ma'am." Class 2-B responded in unison. Everyone in the room began packing their own personal belongings into their bags and prepared to leave while those assigned in cleaning began ridding the class of dirt along with organizing arm chairs and such.

A certain student paid no mind to the ruckus around him. His gaze was directed outside the window. At that very moment, his thoughts seemed to be fixated on something else.

Unknown to him, two of his classmates, who had developed a bad reputation around campus, were approaching.

"Hey, Issei. Same spot as usual?" A bespectacled student asked while readjusting his glasses. Beside him was a bald teen who seemed to be sporting a lecherous grin.

"Hehehe... I can't wait to see me some tits!" The loud proclamation earned them hateful glares from the most of the females present.

"Ugh! Don't people like you learn when to quit?"

"Maniacs like you should go to jail and rot all alone!"

"Do you even deserve to be here?"

Each woman had her own statement to say about the three men's never ending perversity.

Despite having a daily dose of beating, courtesy from the kendo club, the three didn't seem to be learning their lesson. Even when they're socially hated by most of the student population, their resolve didn't seem to be wavering, much to the chagrin of the female body.

Matsuda, the bald man of the three perverts merely huffed and crossed his arms. "You think being beaten up on a daily basis is enough to stop us? Hah! Well think again, you curvaceous chicks!"

To add up to the statement of his fellow pervert, Motohama, the bespectacled boy capable of measuring a woman's size, lowered his glasses and winked at the ladies.

One of the girls nearly puked at the sight. She placed both hands on her mouth in hopes of preventing the upcoming bile from exiting her mouth, as the bespectacled maniac continued to wiggle his eyebrows suggestively at the group of females.

While the exchange between both parties continued, the third member of the so called perverted trio got up from his chair and proceeded to walk out the room, without even adding two cents into the argument. Both groups didn't seem to notice the Hyoudou's departure.

"Just you wait. There will come a time when you babes are gonna drool all over us." Matsuda shot them a smirk.

"Right Issei?" Seconds pass and yet the self proclaimed lolicon still didn't receive a reply. "Ise?" Both male turned around only to see an empty seat staring back at them.

"That asshole ditched us!"

The next day came, yet the absence of the student known as Issei Hyoudou wasn't even acknowledged... except for two people that is.

Another day came by but Issei was still nowhere to be seen. Some of his classmates had already noticed the lack of presence but didn't think much of it. Both Matsuda and Motohama, being the closest friend of Issei couldn't help but worry over his well being.

'Where is that guy? He's missing out.' One of the two duo's mused.

To some people's surprise, a week has already gone by yet Issei Hyoudou still hasn't attended school. Motohama and Matsuda were downright worried. Their friend hasn't been returning any texts or calls for the past seven days and it was more than enough to rile them up.

"I would just like to take this time to question the whereabouts of Hyoudou. Where is that man? I received absolutely no excuse letter or any type of warning prior to his absence." The male teacher removed his glasses and placed it on the desk before massaging his temple. "That man may have his troublesome tendencies but as this class' adviser, it is my duty to keep every student in check. Not only that, it causes a huge hassle in my class record."

"Sir, why don't you ask his two cohorts." Aiko stated, referring to the remaining perverts who seemed to be sulking.

"Well, at least the perverted trio isn't complete anymore." Murayama of the kendo club, stated.

True to her statement, ever since Issei Hyoudou's continuous absenteeism, not once did the remaining perverts peep on them. To the women of the kendo club, this was a blessing from the Lord himself. At long last, they were finally given a break from all the perversity.

"We'll never be complete again. Never." A crestfallen Motohama stated two which Matsuda nodded. The class along with the current teacher didn't quite get message until one of the two added up an extra statement.

"Just last night, we went to visit Issei's house. The door was locked but no lights were on. We would have assumed that he was already asleep but begged to differ since it was barely even seven..."

"Motohama. Why are you telling us this?"

The bespectacled teen didn't even register the question and continued on. "At the time, we thought that Ise had went off someplace else to eat since his parents were currently abroad and no one was there to look out for him." Motohama paused for some few seconds before continuing. "We were on our way to leave the neighborhood until we passed by a lamppost which happened to have a flyer plastered on it. Out of curiosity, I read the contents and almost broke down crying... It was... I-It was..."

To everyone's surprise, Motohama had removed his glasses to wipe away the tears, trailing down his face. They were confused to why he acted as he did now. At that point, the whole class was eager to hear the entire story.

"I-It was..." Due to the distraught, Motohama could not utter a coherent sentence much less, a word. It only came out as sobs and snivels. Matsuda noticed being the more composed of the two, stood up and patted his friends back.

"I'll take it from here." He whispered as he focused his gaze to his classmates. The bald adolescence's behavior seemed so earnest that it seemed out of character. There was never a time when he had that kind of look on his face, so to some who knew his usual attitude, it was completely new and out of character.

"We examined the flyer and to our surprise... it was a picture of Issei. He's been declared a missing person." That information was a bombshell. The entirety of the room was filled by resounding gasps and expressions of shock. Even members of the Kendo Club who partook in the beating of the now missing boy expressed looks of surprise.

"Hmph. Serves him right. Why don't you do us all a favor and disappear as well."

People were mortified by that statement alone. Everyone looked around, searching for whoever it was.

From the very back, a student with short black hair stood up. He directed his look at the Perverted Duo. "Scumbags don't deserve to be in this school. You two are no better." The teen pointed an accusation finger at them both.

"He disappeared, so what? You think we should sympathize with you two now that he's gone? After all the things you three did? Pffft! Get real!"

Murmurs began erupting within the classroom.

"He does have a point."

"Idiot! Just cause he did something bad doesn't mean he deserves that type of punishment!"

"Hyoudou may have been a pervert but he was always very helpful and kind."

Matsuda clenched his fist tightly. He stared impassively at the instigator. 'Tch! Bastard doesn't know what's he saying.' He opened his mouth to say something back on behalf of their friend but snapped it back shut upon feeling a tugging sensation on his lower uniform. It was Motohama who looked up at him while shaking his head left and right.

"Don't... its not worth it..."

Being the good friend he was, Matsuda complied and sat down but not before sending one last look at the student who clearly disliked their presence.

"Even if a time came in which he passed away, none of us here would give rats ass about that guy!"

The teacher has had his fill. He lifted his hand and slammed it down on the desk.

"You watch your tongue young man!" That alone was enough to shut the ranting students trap. "This type of behavior against a fellow schoolmate is punishable by immediate suspension! I would have let you off with a light warning if it wasn't for your earlier statement. I'm a teacher and must never show any type of favoritism towards my students but among all the pupils I've observed, Issei Hyoudou has to be the most active in terms of helpfulness both in and out of class along with his notable improvement in character. And just in case you haven't noticed, Hyoudou's perverted tendencies has severely lessened in the past months along with a boost in class performance and grades. Compared to you, Mr. Hyoudou has done numerous contributions to not only this class but the entire school as well. None of you are aware of it but there's a small fraction of this school that knows of his donation in social works. Though it isn't allowed, the Student Council decided to overlook it. So you have absolutely no right of saying that he does not deserve to be in this very institution."

The thick headed student tried to keep up his facade and stared back impassively at the teacher. "But he isn't in the school right now, is he?"

"That's kinda going over the line, man."

"Yeah. Learn to respect your elders."

"This guy is an even worst student than Issei."

Motohama inwardly smirked. They were winning the crowds favor without even trying. The words their lone opposition chose were very poor and he seemed to be acting out of impulse without any real thought added.

Matsuda on the other hand had to shake his head in disappointment.

'This poor sap has to be the worst opportunist I've ever seen in my whole life.' He peered out the window, looking over at the scenery presented. 'Ise would have been proud to see these people standing up for him.'

And so, the room was filled with argumentation regarding Issei. It was quite the sight to behold. All the women who grew to hate the missing pervert were actually fighting for him, most agreeing with his shift in behavior the past few months. The perverted duo remained speechless throughout the whole ordeal. Both quietly watched as the student was fiercely bombarded by numerous assertions by fellow classmates. It continued on for quite some time even after the classrooms door slid open.

Noise and sounds of argument were what met the group of individuals. A stoic gaze marred the leading woman's face. She, alongside a few others, walked in front of class and silently observed the noisy bunch who still didn't notice their appearance. Only a handful actually noticed and promptly shut up but that alone was not enough to lessen the rooms noise.

"Saji, if you please." Her tone matched her stoic visage. Beside her, the blonde man accompanying her, took a whistle from his pocket and stuffed it in between his lips. He inhaled deeply before blowing hard into the whistle. The high pitch noise pierced through the cacophony of the class full of people.

Their attention turned to the rooms newcomers. Some began sweating feverishly under the student councils scrutinizing stare. In spite of the intimidating aura they exuded, others couldn't help but admire the third and fourth most beautiful women in the entire academy.

Souna Shitori, the student councils president took the prolonged silence as a signal to speak.

"Now, I am sure that this class is well aware of the disappearance of one of its peers. I, along with my fellow council members, wish to inform you that any information linked to your missing classmate is essential in finding his whereabouts. You're welcome to share any details that you deem is substantial but please be advised that this matter should be treated with utmost seriousness." Sona pushed two of her fingers onto her glasses to adjust its position. "With that aside, I would like to address another matter involving the misbehavior of a certain student."

Sounds of blunt force trauma could be heard... yet the volume was relatively low. Outside the house of the Hyoudou residence, the noise was none existent. Further into the house however, the rattling of chains increased in volume. Down the steps leading into a basement, were quick exhalations originating from behind the basement door. The same clamor, which could now be identified as an object being hit, was slowly becoming intense.

Inside the very room, a teen executed multiple combinations of punches whilst backing up and dodging from time to time, as if trying to escape the blows of an unseen opponent. This was Issei Hyoudou himself, the teenager declared missing in their neighborhood not too long ago.

Both of his fists were clad in dark red boxing gloves. The process of infighting and dodging slowly turned to an all out offensive. He'd circle around the suspended, inflated bag and launch faster strikes which rocked it with each passing blow.

After a power-packed left hook, he retracted his arm and did a follow-up right cross. Then the final combo went on... he jabbed with his dominant hand three times, a left body blow impacted hard on the midpoint and lastly he tucked his right arm ever so slightly before doing a right hook haymaker which caused the punching bag to swing about wildly.

He stood up straight, wiping his forehead with his forearm as sweat continued to pour on numerous parts of his body.

'Its been nearly half a month since my supposed disappearance.' He smiled dejectedly at the thought. 'Its for the best...'

Unconsciously, he stared back at the punching bag. It swung back and forth. Each passing second made the momentum much weaker. His solid gaze, ensnared the swinging inanimate object. He glanced down at his right arm and back at the punching bag.

"Boost..." A power which dwelled from within, began to pump energy into him. Strength slowly coursed through his veins, the effects made his brown hair flutter upwards.

Calmly, he waited. Watching as he did. To him, it felt like time itself grew slower. The moving bag decreased in speed but it still swung back and forth.

Back and forth...

Back and forth...

Back and fo-

As it neared to his direction, the teen forcefully whipped his punch causing it to seemingly vanish into thin air. With speed rivaling a lightning bolt, the fist travelled onwards, covered in a deep emerald coloration. Upon coming in contact with the stuffed bag, it obliterated. Stuffing and the sand inside the bag was ejected and flew all around the room.

Even the glove on his hand suffered a considerable amount of damage. Most of its foam were now ripped to shreds and smoke could be seen, emanating out of it.

He grimaced at his own handiwork. "That's the fourth one this week."

Remnants and pieces of what were once punching bags were all messily sprawled out in one corner of the room. Other than that, everything else was tidy and kept organized, except for that one detail.

The earlier power up began to dissipate itself from out of his system.

"I still can't seem to expel it all out in one point without causing a forced dispersion."

**{You'll get there, soon enough.}** A deep voice replied from in his thoughts, slightly startling him.

"Having a voice in the back of your head sure is hefty." He sat on one of the chairs before removing both gloves. A sigh escaped his lips from seeing the damage done on one of the gloves.

**{I've been told that one too many times in my lifetime by previous wielders. But you're different from all the others.}**

He stared at his left hand which housed Ddraig, The Red Dragon Of Domination. "How so? Care to explain?"

**{You were absolutely lecherous, they weren't.}**

A tick mark immediately appeared on Issei's forehead. "...anything else I should be aware of?" He asked, a bit aggravated by the brusque answer.

**{Every single one of my previous possessers were all able to unlock Balance Breaker. I know that you're no exception and will definitely accumulate it should the right time come.}**

"This Balance Breaker thing, is it-"

**{I wasn't finished. I suggest you don't interrupt me the next time, whelp.}**

Issei appeared to be borderline livid. His eye began to twitch from the steadily increasing irritation directed at the dragon.

"Apologies. Care to continue, kind dragon?" He replied in a seemingly sincere tone.

Ddraig harrumphed at his young wielders sarcasm before continuing to where he left off. **{As I was saying, you lecherous whelp...}**

Issei tightened his glare.

**{Everyone gained the Longinus' Balance Breaker, the Welsh Dragon Overbooster. However, there appears to be something preventing you from entering that state. I reckon that once you grasp your Balance Breaker, it'll be different from the original.}**

Hearing this news, managed to strike a bit of discomfiture into Issei. "Is this a bad thing?"

If Issei would have been in the actual presence of The Red Dragon, he would have seen him shaking his head.

**{Heavens, no. It just implies that you are unique but the reason for this happening is still unknown to even me, so even I don't know why such a phenomenon occurred. I can only wonder if the White One is going through the same situation.}**

"White One... that's Albion, your counterpart. The White Dragon Of Domination."

**{Me and him, we both have a long history with each other. Ever since-}**

"Spare me the lecture for another time, Ddraig. I'm sweaty and hungry. Hearing you rant about history is not only making me feel old but also procrastinating my need to eat." Issei from his chair and walked towards the door. "I prefer a night out in one of the fast food chains."

**{Fool! If you were to waltz out this house, all the hard work we've done will all be for naught. Remember, that the concealment seals are only limited to the interior of the house and nowhere else. Just in case, let me give you a recap of its functionality. It is specially designed to not only mask your appearance but your entire presence as well. So if ever anyone manages to find this place, they won't notice a thing. Not you or the seals themselves. I've also tied the effects to your DNA so only you get affected while your within its reach. If the supernatural manages to detect you, they'll no doubt rush here without any further notice and who knows what they might do. And by supernatural, I mean those devils in your school. I reckon that they...}**

Ddraig continued on but Issei disregarded the sermon and continued to walk out the door. "Hmm. Yeah. Whatever you say, Ddraig."

The age old Dragon nearly grew a second head out of frustration at his partners lackadaisical attitude.

**{Just wear the damn limiter you lecher! I didn't design these knickknacks just so you can be careless and get yourself killed!}**

"Ah! I totally forgot about that." Issei got something from his back pocket. Upon closer examination, it seemed to be a white sweat band filled with a handful of glyphs. He wore it on his right bicep and it fit like a glove. Shortly, the accessory dematerialized out of existence.

The feeling of fatigue doubled. If he wasn't paying attention, he would have been floored by the deprivation of power. Slowly but surely, Issei made his way back to one of the chairs and sat down in order to reestablish a firm grasp on his bearing.

**{Still...not... I see...}** Ddraig's voice was shrouded by the effects of the limiter.

"You're going to have to repeat that Ddraig. You sound a bit distorted."

**{That's normal. Its just your body adjusting to the sudden loss of power. Think of it as a decrease of blood pressure due to intoxication.}**

It didn't take long before Issei felt accustomed. He took a fighting stance, both legs apart. His left hand was tightened into a fist, just at eye level. The right, tucked a bit above the waistline. He lashed out a right straight, expecting that it was imbued with draconic power. That wasn't the case though. No energy or any trace of it was present, signifying that the limiter not only lessened his power but completely nullified it. He couldn't feel a shred of his draconian power.

The realization managed to strike a chord in Issei. "I'm just like before, weak and useless."

**{Now, now. Don't be like that partner. I've set the limiter to discontinue its suppression once you reach a certain level but as of now, you will be incapable of taking it off. At the very least, I'll still be able to stay in contact with you.} Issei didn't take quite a liking to the revelation.**

"Why would you do this?" His tone alone says it all. He was definitely upset.

"How am I supposed to protect myself now? All that hard work just to attain that much power at a short amount of time..." He opened his fist. "...and you took it from me." Before forcefully bawling it to a fist for further emphasis. His gazed turned cold at his left hand, as if staring deep into the eyes of the dragon.

"I assume you have your reasons." His voice was equally cold. "If I'm not mistaken you said something about hard work being all for naught."

**{Do not test me!}** Ddraig near shouted. **{Keep that temper of yours in check, partner.}** The dragon paused momentarily to calm his aggravation. **{Contrary to my earlier statement about you being unique to my previous hosts, you share a trait similar to most of them.}**

The hunger for power.

**{You who have gave up your perverted ways, neglected both friends and family... are no different. Each had something to give up in exchange for power and in the end, it was their ultimate downfall. Make the same mistake and a similar consequence will befall you, without a doubt.}**

"You didn't answer my question."

**{I was getting to it. Now I don't have to be a genius to know that you are displeased with my decision but hear me out for a little while, partner. Please understand that this is for your wellbeing and to ensure your safety.}**

"Go on."

**{I'm sure you may not have noticed that there is quite an amount of supernatural beings present here in this town. Most of them are keeping a watchful eye of you, both Fallen Angel and Devil. Among the two factions, I can tell that the latter mean you no harm but that doesn't mean you can just up and drop your guard. The Fallen's however seem rather malicious. Luckily, none have been making direct contact which shows to say that they are unsure of you or clueless. This is actually beneficial to both of us because once they realize that you're just a mere "human" they'll lay off.}**

"Or kill me on the spot." Issei's mood was now a bit more pleasant than earlier.

**{Cynical much? But now that you finally realize that the purpose of the limiter is to deceive them into thinking you're just an average human being.}**

"One other thing though. I noticed that the limiter has the same effects of the concealment seals but that's not what I wanted to point out. The limiters job is to hide my power and prevent me from being detected, but what happens if I manage to increase it again through training, won't that be a problem?"

**{A simple answer for a simple question. You don't need to worry about that, partner. I made sure that it conceals your strength, which you would be no doubt enhancing while on the road. Take note though, that when you reach the predestined limit, the limiter shall break and all the power that has been stored up earlier will come back to you. Your capability would have increased considerably by then.}**

"Meh. Fare enough." Issei's stomach growled out of hunger. "Now let's go eat, I'm starving."

Issei ventured out of the basement and to his room to get changed. Once done, he walked down the stairscase while readjusting his belt. His attire was now a simple get up. He wore a black hoodie, embroided with the image of a skull at the back, near-fit faded ripped jeans, and a monochrome colored running shoes.

"Being cooped up at home for half a month and doing nothing but train my ass off sure works up an appetite."

He got to the front door and pulled it open to leave.

"Issei Hyoudou?" A feminine voice called out, earning Issei's attention. He looked up and saw the president of the student council right in front of him. She had one hand lifted up to knock on the door but from the looks of it, he beat her to it.

Souna, was slightly surprised from the supposed missing male's sudden appearance. She managed to shake it off and glower at the young Hyoudou.

"Er... uh... Prez? To whom do I owe this visit?" Issei on the otherhand knew he was in the shit.

**{Two weeks worth of absence without leave, and a Student Council president do not mix too well.}**

'Shut up Ddraig, you're not helping.'

Souna lowered her raised hand. "What a surprise. To think that this was where you have been all along."

"Likewise. I wasn't aware that we both live in the same neighborhood."

She crossed her arms over her modest sized bust. "Don't change the topic, Hyoudou. Where have you been all this time? Your class along with a few others have been worried sick of your sudden disappearance. Not to mention that this behavior of yours goes without being unpunished by us, the student council."

Issei tilted his head to the side, looking for anyone accompanying her but found none. "Wrong choice of words, Prez. I don't see anyone else but you."

She maintained her stoic expression. "My patience grows shorter by the second."

Issei had an inkling feeling that he might come across one of the devils but wasn't expecting it to be this quick. Nonetheless, he does have his contingencies. "Fine, fine. If you must know, I've been confined in the hospital for the past two weeks due to a coma-inducing fatigue. Well, nine days to be exact since the doctor instructed me take a few days of rest before going back to school." In his pocket was a folded paper, which he presented to the upperclassman. "Here's the medical certificate to ensure that I am not lying."

She took the paper and inspected the contents. Sure enough, the writings on the paper officializes Issei Hyoudou's previous confinement in Kuoh Medical Center.

"I'll be taking this if you don't mind. Its the student council officers duty to organize and settle matters such as this. By the time you get back to school, your adviser and subject teachers would have already been informed."

"Ah, thanks. I appreciate it." He closed the door behind him before feigning ignorance. "Listen. On the back way here, I couldn't help but notice all the flyers posted in numerous parts of our neighborhood. Why and how was I labeled missing?"

"That's something I would like to know myself." A newfound curiosity was present in the young female. "Days after your absence, these flyers appeared overnight. Two of your close friends, addressed this subject to us. And it still remains a mystery to who posted them. Its contents only reveal the date of your last appearance, nothing more nothing less. It could be possible that a neighbor of yours noticed your prolonged absence and decided to take action."

A fake expression of deep thought painted the brown teens visage. "This might cause a huge misunderstanding. I better clear them before it reaches the authorities." Issei walked pass her, intent on leaving.

"That won't be necessary. I'll assign members of the student council to do it for you."

Issei stopped before looking back. "Thanks again." A sudden idea popped in his thoughts.

**{Partner, you wouldn't.}**

Issei ignored this and continued on. "Well now that we got that sorted out, wanna go eat in a restaurant with me? Its my treat."

A small but evident smile tugged on Sona's lips. "As the president of the student council, I have many duties to carry out such as maintaining the order of the school and checking on the wellbeing of my fellow schoolmates. I must turn down the generous offer for now but I'll gladly take a raincheck."

Hearing his offer of what could be surmised as a date being turned down, managed to disappoint Issei but he forced a smile. "Oh well. It was nice talking to you Cap. Have a pleasant evening." He turned and began walking away, both hands stuffed into the pockets of his hoodie.

'I guess the rumors of him being a voyeur are false. His actions are far from a teen immersed in perversions.' She narrowed her eyes at the retreating figure of her underclassman, something about their whole meeting just didn't felt right.

In a fast food restaurant...

**{Partner, I'm afraid that the Sitri Devil is on to you.}**

'I know.' Issei replied mentally while digging in to his burger.

**{You're pretty sharp. When did you realize?}**

'About five seconds ago, when you told me.'

**{Smart ass...}**

Chapter End.

**AN: Sooooooo thats a wrap! Please leave a review, and if its a flame I'll consider reading it if it comes in the form of a constructive flaming that'll help me improve my writing. And if you spot any grammatical errors ****feel free to comment or pm me. I won't make promises but I'll try to make updates weekly. Thanks for reading.**

**Artorias out.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Return

Disclaimer: I do not own High School DxD, its is owned by Ichiei Ishibumi.

Rated M for safety and presence of violence and mature content in the coming chapters.

Speech:

"Talk"

'Thought'

{Ddraig talk/thought}

It has been close to four hours since Sona Sitri's last contact with Issei Hyoudou, a student of class 2-B who was reported missing one week prior, following his half month absence. Her contact with the Hyoudou lead to her finding out that the young male had been resting in his house shortly after being discharged by the hospital he was confined in.

And now, after noticing a shift in the young Hyoudou's personality, the student council president wishes to address the issue to Rias Gremory, a childhood friend and president of the Occult Research Club as she too harbored an interest in the young man. Although it was quite late in the night for seeking an audience with the ORC's president, both individuals were far from tired due to the effects of being devils.

Upon arriving at the ORC club room, Rias was the only occupant. Sona deduced that the rest of her peerage were out, offering their service to clients.

"Ah, Sona. Allow me to brew some tea." Rias went to a separate room and returned a few minutes later, holding a tray with a cup of tea on top.

"It may not taste as good as the ones Akeno makes but I guarantee that you won't be disappointed."

Sona slightly bowed in gratitude at the offered beverage. She took one sip, letting the flavor dance around her taste buds before swallowing. A hum of contentment followed by a small smile on her lips was a clear indication of the tea's palatability.

After setting the tray at a nearby table, Rias settled on a chair adjacent to Sona.

"So, what was it that you wish to talk about?"

After taking another small draft of the tea she set her eyes on Rias. "I've found Issei Hyoudou and at a strange circumstance."

Rias shifted in her seat, crossing one leg over the other. "Oh? So where was he all this time?"

"At his house." Rias was perplexed. That certainly was not the answer that she had expected.

"Meaning to say he's been at his home for the duration of the past two weeks? I assumed you grilled him for that."

Sona shook her head slightly. "I held the same thought at first but in truth, he had been confined at a hospital due to overfatigue and was released up until recently. I even have his medical certificate."

"I see... will that be all?"

"You seem uninterested. Weeks back, you were worried sick over your- *ahem* OUR underclassman's disappearance."

"W-Well I..."

"But none of that matters now."

Rias' mouth was shut, surprised by what she had heard.

"Because I have a reason to believe that he was deceiving me. Something about his behavior seemed off when the two of us conversed, it wasn't the usual attitude of a perverted adoloscent. In a way, it felt like I was talking to an imposter."

"What made you assume that?"

"For starters, his description didn't fit his persona. His way of speaking had an air of confidence in it and a hint of arrogance but not a trace perverseness."

"But if he truly was an imposter, wouldn't he maintain the guise of a debauchee and not act out of character?"

"Precisely. If he truly was an imposter then he wouldn't have bothered to behave differently. Unless..."

Rias furrowed her brows. "Unless?"

"Unless perversion is his mask and the act I witnessed was his true disposition."

"Mismatched personality aside, what else is of interest?"

Sona leaned forward, eyes etched with utmost seriousness. "He's aware of the supernatural."

"How so?"

"Earlier, I've stated that I found him in his house but before he made his presence known, there was practically nothing that I could detect within the compound, not a shred of life force even as I was standing at his front porch. Had he not stepped outside, I would not have known that he was there. It was as if the house or something in it masked his presence."

"Concealment magic?"

"Possibly."

Rias lets a smile graze her face. "It seems our cute junior has something to hide."

"Indeed he has, and whether or not it was smoke and mirrors, he found it in him to ask me out..."

All was quiet within the room with Sona sipping the remains of her tea and Rias letting what had been said sink in for a few seconds before the smile left her face replaced by a frown and afterwards a cute little pout.

"I hate you..."

She hid her smile in the guise of a quirked eyebrow at Rias' sudden outburst. "I fail to see how any of this is relevant." It always felt nice to poke fun at the Gremory heiress.

The time was way past seven thirty in the morning, which was the usual start of classes.

Not one student was lingering in the halls but instead, were in their separate rooms. A lone souls footsteps thundered through the silent corridor. His eyes wandered, looking around for any possible changes within the area. It was very minimal. The bulletin boards contents had been replaced by events which were bound to happen in the current month. Shortly after examining the board, he continued his way to class, not bothering to quicken his pace. He was already late, what's the point of having to rush, unless tardiness was reproachable.

In stark contrast with the first floor, the second was bustling with voices, originating from the different sections. As he got closer to class, Issei didn't bother thinking of what he should say the moment he steps foot in the room. Winging it was more of his style.

While in the middle of homeroom, the door of class 2-B slid open, drawing the gazes of its students. A male, one of their classmates who was presumed missing weeks prior, walked in as he closed the sliding door behind him.

"Morning." He casually greeted as if disregarding the fact the he hadn't been in class for well over two weeks.

"Ah, Hyoudou. Welcome back. I was informed the reason for your absence by the student council president but forgot about sharing it to the class. It just slipped my mind, my bad."

"Nothing to apologize for, sir." While walking to his chair, he acknowledged his best friends Matsuda and Motohama, who wore expressions of shock in their faces, with a lazy two finger salute and a smirk.

Upon sitting down and letting himself get comfortable, he was quickly caught in a noogie by Matsuda.

"Ise! What the hell man?! You had us worried when you suddenly went AWOL. We thought something bad had happened to you! But none of that matters now. What's important is that you're back."

"Well just so you all are aware, something did happen to me. But before that, could you cut it out with the noogies already, Matsuda?"

"Ah... haha, sorry. Just really glad to know that you're alright."

Motohama was quick to add up.

"Indeed. We were under the impression that something bad had happened to you due to the numerous fliers labeling you as a missing person around your neighborhood." He didn't show it but Motohama was so relieved to the point where a small tear dribbled down his face, which he quickly wiped inconspicuously.

"Oh about that. Just a small misunderstanding with the neighbors. Nothing to it really."

The bespectacled boy readjusted his glasses as he analyzed the statement.

"I suppose one would think that-"

Matsuda caught him off as he snaked him arms around his shoulder. "Hey, Ise! Gotta tell you something about this guy." He gestured to his friend. "Can you believe that he was bawling his eyes out after reading one of the fliers? Friggin priceless!"

"Did he now?"

The boy in question couldn't help but sport a look of embarrassment.

"Haha! You better believe it man, I mean... I was concerned with your disappearance and all but I always knew that you'd pull through."

Issei couldn't help but smile. These two may be perverted and all in the public eye but they were genuine friends at heart, except for the times wherein they'll ditch him once they get caught peeking. That he considered a genuine dick move but nonetheless, they were still his friends.

"Thanks you two..." He says as he placed a hand on one of each of their shoulders. "I really appreciate your concern."

"Although... You never really explained as to why you were admitted to the hospital." Motohama stated.

"Well... I fell into a..." Issei shortly paused, deciding on which proper term to say. "I wouldn't say coma since I didn't sustain any injuries, disease or poisoning but more of a prolonged sleep."

"After I had severely exhausted myself from none stop training..." Most of the students showed sign of interest in Issei's story and listened in. Even their homeroom teacher was doing the same.

"...eventually my body reached its limit and I collapsed. If my uncle wasn't around when it happened... I could have..." Issei didn't continue but his fellow classmates understood the implication and immediately tensed up.

"Y-You're kidding." Katase, a member of the schools kendo club remarked out of shock only to meet the apathetic gaze of Issei.

"Why would I make a joke about me dying?"

The words died in her throat upon hearing his reply. It was the truth, death jokes are meant to be frowned upon but if only they knew the true intentions of the young Hyoudou.

"That sounds like some pretty intense training your referring to. What type was it anyway?" Matsuda himself was into fitness but not to the point of pushing himself into his breaking point.

"Just to cut you off for a sec, Ise. Technically it is a coma, if the doctor hadn't already told you. The lack of oxygen or presence of low oxygen level in your blood leads to Hypoxemia and if prolonged Hypoxia which can very much induce a coma."

Issei was impressed with how well versed Motohama was into medicine.

"Quite the knowledge you have at your disposal, Motohama. If you wanted to, you could pursue the field of medicine."

He merely nodded at the compliment, as he used two fingers to push his glasses up.

"I wasn't quite listening to the doctor since I was still a bit woozy at the time. Anyway, to answer your question Matsuda it was high altitude. But its not literal high altitude we're talking about here. I wore a mask that limits the oxygen I intake meaning its helluva lot harder to breathe. Buuuuut, lets just say that I got a little carried away." Issei turned to their homeroom teacher and nodded. He didn't mind the chatter if it meant seeing his student back safe and sound.

"Floor's all your's sir."

The day quickly went by with Issei having tuned out lessons and lectures by their respective teachers. Surprisingly, he wasn't reprimanded for not listening. He just sat there, chewing gum and rocking on his chair. He didn't even have his bag much less a pen or something to write on.

He took one glance at the rooms wall clock and stood from his chair. It was six minutes to dismissal, staying to be signalled by the schools bell was purposeless in his perspective. Issei called the attention of their teacher with a raised hand.

"I have to use the bathroom, sir."

The middle aged teacher nodded. "Go ahead, Hyoudou."

The teen didn't return after that. Instead, he began making his way to the schools gate not even bothering to bat an eyelash at the hall monitors reprimanding. But before he got out the gate, a voice he had conversed with the day before, called out.

"Issei Hyoudou! A little too early to be leaving school, aren't you?"

He stopped, gazing back at the student councils president and letting a few seconds pass by before responding. "I beg your pardon?"

As she opened her mouth to reiterate, the schools bell rung, cutting her off.

"I'll be taking my leave then."

Sona was well aware of his intention of not wanting to converse with her at the moment thus, letting him walk out the gate. When he was out of sight, Sona turned her gaze to the direction of an open window at the old school building. Rias peered from the window, returning Sona's blank stare before seeing the latter slightly nod her head before heading back to the Student Council's office.

"Koneko. Tail him and observe his behavior." The ORC president commanded without looking back.

The aforementioned school mascot, nibbled on a bar of chocolate before responding. "Can I have some ice cream first?"

Her face lit up at that. "The fridge's content is at your disposal." Rias then placed a hand on the hellcat's head and gave her light rub and pat.

Issei Hyoudou's objective at the moment was plain and simple, head home, train and get stronger. His desire to increase his power grows in each passing day and any form of impediment that gets in the way of his goal won't be spared a second glance. Not even a dreamboat of damsel staring shyly at his face was worth his time. Said damsel had confessed her affection towards the young Sekiryuutei despite being their first time meeting.

**{Partner...}**

'Yes, Ddraig. I'm well aware.' Had he been the say same adolescent as before, he would have jumped at the chance of dating a cute girl like so but even then, underneath his perverted antics lie a ravenous craving for power that rivals that of a God. It may seem like a childish dream in the eyes of others but in his own perception, materials accumulated does not amount to actual power.

And so, he decided on a subterfuge to his current situation.

"Listen...?"

"Yumma, Amano Yumma."

"Yumma. Everything seems to be progressing too fast. I'm gonna have to take a day or few to think about it and give you a proper answer." She deflated at that.

"Its not that I find you unappealing but... I just prefer not jumping the gun and doing something I'll regret in the future. I hope that's alright with you."

Despite being visibly disappointed by the answer she received, she managed to lift her head up and beam a small smile.

"I-I see... I do hope that when the time comes for you to tell me your choice, it would be a yes."

He scoffed as he passed her by. "Then you better start praying."

After arriving home, he stripped himself of his clothing, leaving but his undergarments for fluid motion and less restrictions; plus he was never fond of the sensation of wearing apparel which was soaked in sweat.

He started off his training with meditation in an attempt to tap into what remains of his magical reserves, which he had Ddraig to thank for.

**{Hmph.}** The hulking Red Dragon snorted at the thought.

His position was in a lotus, back straight, and open palms placed on the surface of his knees facing up. The turmoil within his thoughts began to die down until after a few minutes into the process, his mind went blank. Along with that, his mental link with Ddraig had been cut, so he'll have to go throughout the entire experience alone.

He didn't let this bother him and focused on maintaining his blank state of mind, letting his body grow accustomed to it. Though his mind was in a blank state, he felt elated at achieving temporary inner peace.

Next was going to be the tricky part. He's been practicing this for quite some time now but would always fail at the peak of each try. For some reason, this time felt different. Neither failure nor disturbance plagued his thoughts. Little did he know the outcome of this will differ from all of the previous.

He let his instincts, and every other primordial feeling submerged in his subconscious, claw their way out. The floor of his white mindscape began to bleed a pitch black fluid, which in turn conjoined into a black blob of sorts, a blob that began to stain the immaculate condition of his mindscape effectively sullying it.

In reality, sweat profusely flowed out his palms, fingers twitching from time to time along with a hitch in his breathing. Two orbs formed from his perspiration swirled on each side of his palm at a slow pace before picking up in speed with each second that went by. Slowly but surely, they took a darker shade until what was crystalline in color had altered and settled into a murky pitch black.

The orbs gyration halted almost immediately after their mysterious shift in color before dropping on his palm with a small splash and creating a puddle below him. As if possessing its own way of thinking, the black fluid inched its way and attached itself onto Issei's skin who throughout the whole ordeal was unaware of the current happening. A similar scene within his mindscape began to take place, he couldn't move and was visibly shaken. To make matters worst, the fluid crept its way, covering both feet and continuing up.

"D-Ddraig? Can you hear me?"

The Red Dragon could hear his calls loud and clear but the same couldn't be said about the young Hyoudou.

**{Partner! I can hear you loud and clear but I can't see you!}** Ddraig tried to reastablish the mental link but to no avail. Whatever it was Issei did, it was interfering with their channel.

"If you can hear me send me your Draconic energy!" At that point the blob had almost taken over Issei's body, save for his head which began to slowly succumb to the pitch black liquid. It didn't hurt being covered by it but it just gave off an alien sensation that was hardly pleasing and who knows what would happen should it manage to take over.

"Please, Ddraig! Before its too-" Anything he wanted to say right after was muffled by the blob. Every part of his body from his toes to his mouth had gotten covered but it didn't stop there. He gave off a gurgled cry, sludge trickling down from a space where his mouth was supposed to be. At this point, his entire face was now covered, eyes irritated by the unearthly substance, stomach churning from the horrendous smell in his nostrils and paving way for nausea. It was only a matter of time before he runs out of oxygen and succumb to asphyxiation.

Ddraig grunted. Although he couldn't see what was happening to his wielder, he can feel his life force slowly weakening. This startled him. Something like this has never happened, even at the time when Issei was yet to unlock his sacred gear. Ddraig could always keep track of his host's life force, whether he be sick or in a healthy condition.

Reacting quickly, Ddraig quickly pumped his energy and supplied it to his host much like what he would usually do whenever Issei doubles his power. Their mental link was severed so he had no way of knowing whether or not it was taking effect but that didn't stop him from continually channeling his power. His partner needed him and he didn't dare to disappoint him. There was something about his current host that fascinated the Red Dragon. Sure, he was driven by the craving for indomitable power much like his ancestors but it didn't stop there. Hyoudou Issei was determined to conquer every adversary that was in his path, even those that resided within his own mind. Fear, inhibition, anxiety... he'll conquer it all, and maybe just maybe... he'll unshackle himself from the curse that haunted and destroyed all of the past Red Dragon Emperor's. And Ddraig will help him with just that.

**{HYOUDOU ISSEI! MY PARTNER!}** A roar laced with heartfelt vigor shook the entirety of the mindscape that housed him. Had it been an actual enclosure, it would hardly last and instead crumble beneath him. But he never thought of this as an enclosure, prison or a confinement of sorts. And he had his current host to thank for that.

**{CAN YOU FEEL MY POWER?! ALL OF IT, I GIVE TO YOU! NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU NEED, YOU WILL ACQUIRE IT PARTNER!}** Pure, raw energy oozed out from the very the scales of the Dragon and levitated before dissipating into nothingness.

He could feel it, his body began to corrode from the blobs clutches. No matter how much he tries to claw or pull them from his body, they wouldn't budge as if melded on his own skin. For a moment he thought that it was all over, that he would perish in the depths of his own thoughts unable to attain the dreams he yearned for since he was a child. What infuriated him the most was the fact the he possessed a power that could potentially rival the strength of any God yet where was it now?

He finally collapsed onto his knees, resigned to his own fate... that was until his heartbeat grew louder, deafeningly loud but only for a moment. What followed was something that'll forever be imprinted into his memories. Issei didn't feel it at first as dread had its hold on his mentality. Being incapable of both seeing and breathing can do just that. It wasn't until the jewel on his hand glowed at such a high extremity that his body began to react. In spite of being blinded by the pitch black liquid, he could feel it glowing, feel the sudden spike in his power and with each second that passed, it continued to grow. Euphoria immediately washed over him, it was as if he could take any obstacle that dared to stand in his way and exert dominance over it, making it bend over to his will, which wasn't that much of a farfetched idea.

From his prostrate he got up, straightening his poise and not letting the blobs influence rule over him. With his arm outstretched, he clenched the fist pulsing with the emerald light, letting its flare douse the blanket of pitch black.The unified hiss of the legion played like a euphony to his ears.

Now that his sense of vision had returned, he could see the surrounding scape revert back to Ddraig's plane.

His back was turned but he could feel the dragons breath tickling his back. It was quite the relief that he wasn't coated by that gunk anymore. Having it cover his entire body and suffocate the life out of him was far from what he would consider pleasant.

**{Partner...}** His call was soft, laced with fatigue.

Issei turned to his loyal dragon, eyes looking up and down at his partners current state. Ddraig was lying on his side which wasn't his usual way of resting whenever he would pay him a visit in his mindscape, and his breathing was ragged. The dragons eyes were half-lidded from exhaustion, causing his perception of Issei's approach to be blurred. Along with the halt of the footsteps was a weight on his snout.

"Ddraig? Whats wrong?" Issei knelt and continued rubbing his palm on the Dragon, worried of his wellbeing.

**{I don't think you've noticed partner but you absorbed more than half of the draconic reserves on my body. It usual takes a while for me to regain my lost power and although it isn't detrimental, I still need a sufficient time to rest or hibernate if possible before you're capable of boosting again.}**

Taking more than half the strength of the Red Dragon was unheard of and should be more than his body could take, acting like a poison yet it didn't show any signs of rejecting the absorbed power.

"How? How can my body withstand that much power?"

**{By the time your life force began to weaken, I pumped as much power that I could create, disregarding the fact that it was actually hazardous to your health. At that moment... all I could think about was doing whatever it takes for you to avoid death.}**

The dragon gave of a weak chuckle before continuing.

**{And it seems that my efforts bore fruit.}** And with that, he grew unresponsive and was dragged into unconscious. Issei took notice of this and exhibited his concern but upon seeing the movement of Ddraig's stomach brought about by breathing, he deduced that his partner was just resting.

...

Just how long has it been since his wait? Its funny how the seconds felt like hours and hours felt like seconds in his mind. The law of time here was severely warped, it was either a good thing or a potential hazard but that was far from what he had in mind. Ddraig's wellbeing came first and he didn't care if it takes God knows how long, all that matters was him being safe...

At first it began with the sensation of something crawling on his skin before escalating to a constant shiver running down his spine. Something was wrong here... something very wrong... They weren't alone anymore, the shadow looming over solidified his claim but that fact was far from reassuring.

Issei didn't dare look back, much less move a muscle. Whatever it was behind him managed to close the distant between them without a sound. It was his mind, he was supposed to be able to detect and percept anything residing within his own thoughts, but this unknown creature defied just that.

His startled visage morphed into a look of hostility. He clenched his fist, getting ready to fend off whoever it was that dare threaten him and his partners safety.

"Ease yourself, child." The raspy voice held neither hostility nor amity but at least he knows that it could talk.

Issei peered over his shoulder as a weight was placed over it. It was a wrinkly old hand that could be barely seen from the long and wide opening sleeves of the strangers robe. Two tired, age old and sunken eyes stared down at him.

It took some time for the young man to find it in him to respond and when he did, it came out as a sputter at first.

"Y-You... Y-You are the... The wise and-"

"The old."

**AN: Aaaaaand cut!!! Sorry bout the delay guys. Been busy at school the previous weeks lately but dont worry, I wont drop this story.**

**By the way, Kudos to Angron. You're idea isn't that far off to what I have in mind. Any ways, if yall have an idea leave em in the comments and I'll incorporate it to the story should I deem it interesting or acceptable to the story's storyline.**

**Ta ta. **


End file.
